Silent and Sure
by emerald-soco
Summary: Seth doesn't think about it very often. One-shot, tag to 'The New Kids on the Block'


Just a little ficlet that came to me in the shower. My first in the OC genre, so please be gentle. Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. And on a more personal note, I don't even _like_ Marissa, so I have no idea why she sounds so great in this piece and why Seth would feel indebted to her in any way, shape, or form. I'm obviously on crack.

Don't forget to let me know what you think!

**Silent and Sure**

He doesn't think about it very often but when he does, it's at the oddest times. Moments like this one, when he should be concentrating on how to win Summer back or, better, how to remove Zach from the running … preferably without resorting to physical violence.

Seth Cohen may have his fair share of delusions, but he's abso-freakin'-lutely positive Zach could kick his ass three ways to Sunday without breaking a sweat.

But that's what he _should _be focusing on. Instead, what's on his mind as he walks away from the One Big Happy Family and towards the lone, rail-thin figure on the bench is something that seems to shoot out of left field from time to time.

Marissa Cooper has been beside him his entire life.

Not that they've ever stood shoulder to shoulder against the world; not like she's the Sharon to his Ozzy or – God forbid – the Jessica to his Nick. They've never been close. Before Ryan entered their lives and made them all better and worse, lighter and darker, Seth could count on one hand the number of times Marissa had actually spoken to him.

But she's always been there.

When he was seven, Kirsten made a disastrous attempt at 'doing Thanksgiving right.' They lived with the Coopers for two weeks while a team of professionals worked to rewire, reconstruct, and repaint the damage. Seth developed insomnia without his Superman sheets and took to staying up nights, huddled on the Coopers' couch and watching infomercials.

Marissa found him on the third night. She climbed onto the couch and sat beside him until her slow, even breathing lulled him into a peaceful slumber. After that, she came faithfully to help him sleep for the duration of his stay. And never once did she say a word.

And then they were eleven, and Seth had the first of many bad experiences with Luke. God's gift to women even in the fifth grade, Luke had somehow learned of Seth's hopeless Summer-love and had him backed into a corner, all the better to hurl insults at him.

Suddenly, Luke stopped talking and started stammering. Seth, thinking he'd tapped into some previously unrecognized superpower, was stunned when he discovered his saving grace. Marissa stood at his shoulder, hands on her hips and eyebrows arched at Luke, looking highly offended and mightily angry.

Luke tripped over his tongue for a few minutes, before managing a semi-smooth, 'Hey, Marissa, what's up?' She turned up her nose until he choked out an apology of sorts in Seth's general direction. When that was done, she led him away from his victim; leaving Seth to breathe easier, without sparing him so much as a glance.

At fourteen, Seth finally worked up the courage to ask Summer on a date. He'd just spewed the words out, a jumbled mess of hope and nerves and so much love, when her boyfriend of the day showed up with her favorite snack in his hands. He watched the pair walk away feeling like his world had been thrown off its axis.

Marissa, on her way to a movie with the couple, stayed behind for a moment, just enough time to lay her hand on Seth's shoulder compassionately. She didn't say anything, probably because she knew he didn't want to hear it. Just touched him, lightly, quickly, and left to catch up with the girl of Seth's dreams.

She's been the one constant thing in his life, Seth sometimes realizes. It's like a lightning bolt across his mind, the knowledge there and then gone again in less time than it takes to blink. Always by his side, always in his corner, in the smallest ways, in ways he himself barely notices because he's the quite possibly the most self-absorbed creature alive.

The girl next door. His crush's best friend. His brother's girlfriend. She keeps to the sidelines and shadows of his life, but she's there just the same. The person he can count on for silent sympathy and passive protection. The one who seems to have a Spider Sense about when he's in trouble. The only one who seems to care, half the time.

"Hey," he says, aware that he's breaking their mutually agreed upon code of silence. She looks startled, but regains her composure to return the greeting. He sits next to her, for once instigating their interaction. "If someone woulda told me last year that you and I would be the two loneliest people in Newport, I wouldn't've believed 'em … at least, not the '_you'_ part."

She doesn't say anything. She doesn't have to. She just sits next to him and lets him _be_, the same way she's always done. But this time, from the sad look on her face, he thinks that maybe, just maybe, he's helping her, too. He likes that idea, even more than he likes the idea of punching Zach in the face or kissing Summer senseless.

After all, Marissa Cooper's been beside him his entire life. Maybe it's time he started returning the favor.


End file.
